The Mason Advantage: Our Exceptional Students

Scalia Law students are exemplary leaders dedicated to scholarship, service, and the rule of law. From Washington D.C. to Oklahoma to Kaiserslautern, Germany, our students work in the music industry, big law, international development, the courts, and government agencies. From India and Bangladesh, our international students who already practiced attorneys in their own countries come to Scalia Law to better understand the U.S. legal system and to build on their legal knowledge and expertise.


Rita Regelbrugge, Class of 2021

Summer Law Clerk at Wiley Rein LLP

Rita Regelbrugge

Rita Regelbrugge obtained a summer clerkship at Wiley Rein LLP, where she is working on projects in Litigation, White Collar Defense, Government Contracts, Telecom Media & Technology, and Corporate groups.

What do you like best about this job?

I enjoy working in a dynamic environment. Summering with Wiley allows me to work with outstanding attorneys and to dabble in a variety of practice areas.

How has Scalia Law School prepared you for this work?

My core classes at GMU law required me to think analytically and to examine legal reasoning patterns. Strong legal reasoning skills are paramount to the work I’ve been doing this summer, especially legal research projects.

Would you recommend Big law to other students?

I would encourage students to consider Big Law, especially for a summer position. This summer, I’ve had great exposure to a variety of practice areas and worked on interesting projects. Wiley is a wonderful place to refine my research, writing, and networking skills. I suggest that interested students reach out to alumni to learn about experience first-hand.


Swarnim Shrivastava, LLM Class of 2019

Legal Intern at Federal Trade Commission

Swarnim Shrivastava

Swarnim Shrivastava works with the Federal Trade Commission Office of International Affairs and the Office of Policy & Planning. His internship focuses on competition and antitrust.

What do you like best about your work?

Working on international projects, where you get an opportunity to interact with law enforcers across the Atlantic, and working on novel antitrust issues are my favorite parts of the job.

How did Scalia Law prepare you for this job?

The LLM Program in Global Antitrust has been crucial in preparing me for my role at the FTC. My courses gave me an in-depth understanding of how the FTC functions as an antitrust regulator and how it interacts with the judiciary. Moreover, the training in economics at Scalia Law has helped me understand the complex antitrust issues that I deal with on a daily basis.

What would you tell other law students interested in this field of law?

Scalia Law has a great infrastructure for antitrust law aspirants. I would recommend that every student take at least one antitrust course that is offered here and also interact with the professors, who are constantly guiding the students for advancement in their careers.


Alanna Baron Kahn, Class of 2021

Legal Intern at Department of the Navy, Office of the General Counsel

Alanna Kahn

Alanna Baron Kahn landed an internship at the Office of the General Counsel for the United States Department of the Navy.

What do you like best about this job?

The people. Each person shares a sense of purpose, knowing that what they do contributes to the safety and security of those around them. The oath of office ceremony alone instilled that sense of purpose as our group went from being new employees to Naval Intelligence Professionals.

How has Scalia Law prepared you for this work?

Scalia Law has provided me with the fundamentals that enable me to lend analysis to assignments from a big picture perspective, as well as being able to quickly discern the right questions to ask. And regardless of how trivial it used to seem back in the dawning of our 1L days, words and commas really do matter!

What would you tell other law students considering this area of law?

National security law in general, and this organization in particular, provide an opportunity to work on myriad matters relating to federal fiscal law, government acquisitions and contracting, government information practices, military justice and discipline, operational law, intelligence oversight, ethics, and civilian personnel law. Bottom line: if other law students are looking for exposure to several legal disciplines all under one roof, this is definitely the place to be— the intersection of federal government, military, intelligence, and law.


Cody Ray Milner, Class of 2021

Judicial Intern at U.S. Court, Western District of Oklahoma

Cody Milner

Cody Ray Milner jumped at the chance to work as a judicial intern for Judge Patrick R. Wyrick in the U.S. Court, Western District of Oklahoma, this summer.

What do you like best about this job?

The interaction with the Judge and the chamber clerks, and the ability to learn practical knowledge about practicing in a courtroom.

How has Scalia Law School prepared you for this work?

The writing program at Scalia Law is second to none, and the extra practice honing our legal research, drafting, and polished syntax comes in handy in all legal work.

What would you tell other law students considering this area of law?

The opportunity to work in chambers and observe judges considering legal questions, observe what works and what doesn’t work in the practice of law, is truly a special experience.


Tasnuva Shelley, Class of 2019

Intern at Federal Trade Commission, Office of International Affairs

Tasnuva Shelley

Tasnuva Shelley's internship at the Federal Trade Commission's Office of International Affairs complements her studies in Law & Economics as she learns about tools used by the new competition agencies.

What do you like best about this job?

I have attended a workshop on online ticket sales, a press conference on the historic Facebook penalty of $5 billion, and participated in mentoring workshops, all of which have been a great experience. But most rewarding has been my success in adding the Bangladesh Competition Commission to the list of agencies on the FTC’s website. For me, this a great win and a good start towards achieving my goal of promoting competition, and making the Bangladesh Competition Commission active.

How has Scalia Law School prepared you for this work?

Scalia Law School’s Law & Economics and Antitrust classes have made me realize the significance of antitrust law for an economy and the important role that economics plays in our everyday life. For 163 million people in a small country with a booming economy, having an effective competition agency is now more important than ever. Scalia Law has given me a vision to work toward promoting competition in Bangladesh.

What would you tell other law students considering this area of law?

I highly recommend the FTC to anyone interested in antitrust or consumer protection. I have made some good friends and met many wonderful people who have gone out of their way to support and encourage my passion. I look forward to working with many of them in the future.


Justin Angotti, Class of 2021

Summer Associate at Reed Smith LLP

Justin Angotti

Justin Angotti obtained a position as a summer associate at Reed Smith. His projects have spanned the firm's practices in corporate; litigation and dispute resolution; regulatory; and real estate law, as well as its teams on tax, private client services, and executive compensation.

What do you like best about this job?

Hands down, the people. The team of staff and attorneys—from legal assistants to junior associates to partners—have been incredible. They're passionate about their work, willing to answer questions, committed to making sure I work on substantive projects, and invested in my growth and development. As a rising 2L, I've had a great opportunity to explore a number of different practice areas.

How has Scalia Law School prepared you for this work?

Personally, I think Legal Research, Writing and Analysis was the most valuable course I took as a 1L. When I started at the firm in May, I mainly had research assignments. A few weeks in, I asked if I could take a pass at dropping my research into the brief one of the associates was writing. By the end of that week, a partner had assigned me our reply brief on a motion to dismiss and a summary judgment motion. I wouldn't have gotten the chance to take the lead on those kinds of projects without the skills I learned from Professor FitzGerald and the Writing Fellows last year.

What would you tell other law students considering this area of law?

Firm and office culture matter. Big law has some unique benefits and its own set of challenges. How the partners manage the firm, what they prioritize, and how your colleagues treat each other can make all the difference.


Miranda Isaacs, Class of 2021

Law Clerk at Office of the Attorney General, Nashville, Tennessee

Miranda Isaacs

Miranda Isaacs accepted a summer position with the Janet D. Steiger Fellowship program through the ABA’s Section of Antitrust. The fellowship placed her in the Consumer Protection Division of the Office of the Attorney General in Nashville, Tennessee.

What do you like best about this job?

This job has provided exposure to enforcement of both state and federal consumer protection and antitrust laws. I’ve had the opportunity to work on multi-state investigations into national companies, comments to federal regulatory agencies, merger reviews, data breach investigations, and many other interesting topics, while also gaining meaningful experience in public service.

How has Scalia Law prepared you for this work?

The writing program at Scalia Law set me up to be successful in this position. I felt prepared to begin working on writing assignments upon arriving at the office.

What would you tell other law students considering this area of law?

Both consumer protection and antitrust present great opportunities in the public sector. Consider working in the office of a state Attorney General! I have made incredible connections this summer with skilled professionals who care deeply about their work and protecting consumers in their state.


Chad Crowell, Class of 2020

Judicial Intern at The US Court of International Trade

Chad Crowell

Chad Crowell has taken advantage of multiple clerkships and internships during his time at Scalia Law. This summer, he is working as a judicial intern at the U.S. Court of International Trade (USCIT).

What do you like best about this job?

Working this summer has been an incredible experience. The opportunity to work closely with the Judge and the clerks, attend oral arguments, and see how opinions are formulated has been both informative and exciting. Trade issues are in the news on a daily basis and trade law is rapidly developing. As a result, I have had the chance to see cases of first impression and work in new and exciting areas of the law, and I am encouraged to provide input and formulate my own opinions on cases.

How did Scalia Law prepare you for this job?

The extensive legal writing experience I received and the International Trade course I took during my time at Scalia Law have helped me be an active, productive participant in conversations about cases and when preparing bench memos.

What would you tell other law students interested in this area of law?

I highly recommend a judicial internship to anyone interested in a particular field of law or in clerking. I have greatly enjoyed my time with the USCIT and can't wait for what is to come over the rest of the summer!


Elizabeth Velander, Class of 2020

Legal Intern at Sony Music Entertainment, New York

Elizabeth Velander

Elizabeth Velander snagged a legal internship in the Business and Legal Affairs Department at Sony Music Entertainment.

What do you like best about your work?

What I like best about working for Sony Music Entertainment is the people I work with. The attorneys here have a wealth of knowledge about the music industry that they share with me every day by giving me substantive projects and thoughtful feedback.

How did Scalia Law prepare you for this job?

Professor Saguato’s Business Associations class, Professor Hartline’s Copyright class and Transactional Drafting helped prepare me for working in the Business and Legal Affairs department at Sony.

What would you tell other law students interested in this field of law?

Read everything you can about the industry and network.


Connor Glisson, Class of 2020

Legal Intern at National Telecommunications and Information Administration

Connor Glisson

Connor Glisson secured a position as a legal intern at the Department of Commerce in the Office of Acting Assistant Secretary Diane Rinaldo at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

What do you like best about this job?

This position has given me the opportunity to work on telecommunications issues from a different perspective than I have in the past. I enjoy the range of groups NTIA interacts with on a daily basis and the balance NTIA must strike between expanding broadband Internet access, while at the same time protecting federally-owned spectrum.

How has Scalia Law School prepared you for this work?

Scalia Law’s legal research and writing program prepared me for this position by teaching the skill of turning abstract legal concepts into a compelling narrative that a judge can quickly grasp and apply. When working with policymakers, who often know little about the technology they are tasked with regulating, it's critical to find ways to make complicated ideas easy to understand.

What would you tell other law students considering this area of law?

Communications and technology is one of the fastest growing areas of the law right now. I encourage any fellow law students considering this career path to pursue it further. Take Scalia Law’s Communications Law class; intern at one of the many telecommunications organizations in the area; or join us for a Communications and Technology Law Association meeting this fall.


Erika Poscidonio, LLM Class of 2019

Legal Intern at World Bank Group, Integrity Vice Presidency

Erika Poscidonio

Erika Poscidonio accepted a summer position with the Integrity Vice Presidency (INT) at the World Bank Group. The INT is an independent unit within the World Bank that investigates fraud and corruption in World Bank Group-financed projects.

What do you like best about this job?

To me, the best part of my job is knowing that my job contributes to fraud and corruption prevention in World Bank Group projects, and therefore contributes to the development of underdeveloped countries.

How has Scalia Law School prepared you for this work?

Scalia Law has played a central role in preparing me for this job. With the legal knowledge I am acquiring in the LLM in U.S. Law, I have been able to familiarize myself with a different and interesting way of making and promoting justice.

What would you tell other law students considering this area of law?

A student who would like to work in this area of law should invest in learning at least one second language and also understand the reality of underdeveloped countries and the need to work toward the promotion of a poverty-free world.


Diana Thomson, Class of 2020

Intern at American Bar Association's Rule of Law Initiative

Diana Thomson

Diana Thomson landed at the ABA’s Rule of Law Initiative, an international development program that promotes the rule of law by working with in-country partners to build sustainable institutions and societies that deliver justice.

What do you like best about this job?

I've gotten to do work in really diverse areas on cyber-security issues, the Colombian judicial system, and forced migration. I've also gotten to attend really interesting panels on cyber-security, European competition law, and the Stonewall riots.

How has Scalia Law School prepared you for this work?

Scalia Law has given me a great background in research and in legal frameworks and the inner-workings of government agencies. It also supported me when I took international law classes and interned in Europe last summer, which helped lead to this internship.

What would you tell other law students considering this area of law?

For other students who are considering working in international law and international development, speaking another language-especially Spanish or French-is really helpful. It definitely helps distinguish me and gives me more opportunities at work.